It won't always stop a charging dog, particularly if it's with a pack. But
I used a similar technique when a colleague and I found ourselves confronted
by a herd of wild horses, when we were carrying out biological surveys at a
place called Mt Bundey (near Kakadu).
We were on a narrow path in the middle of a swamp when we heard them coming
towards us through the rushes. They were so close that when I jumped up I
could see their ears. My colleague thought we'd be trampled to death, but
I'd spent quite a bit of my life around horses, and didn't agree - they just
didn't know we were there. So I just jumped up and down screaming. The
horses stopped dead in their tracks, wheeled and bolted in the other
direction.
I had a much closer and more dangerous encounter with a bull buffalo that
had a spread of horns comparable to Charlie in Crocodile Dundee I, but I'll
desist now, and let people get on with the business of discussing birds.
Denise
on 24/1/11 1:26 PM, Simon Clayton at wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I found that a loud shout with arms stretched wide, facing the animal,
> stopped a single charging dog in it's tracks, but it still got to within 2
> metres of me. This was at home whilst checking an unsurveyed patch of
> rainforest regrowth.
>
> Overiding my instinct to leg it after seeing it run at me was the hardest
> part, but as soon as I turned my back to it, the back of my neck suddenly
> felt very vulnerable.
>
> I was without rocks (or chain, good idea Denise), and had to act quickly. I
> managed to see that it looked mangy, and probably couldn't see very well
> through its bunged-up eyes.
>
> Once safe, I also found leeches on both of my ankles and plenty of fresh
> blood in my boots, perhaps tempting a mangy mutt.
>
> It wasn't just my socks I had to change, before I informed the local Nat
> Parks officers of the dog.
>
>
>
> There is surely some danger with regards to dogs, in various places, I can't
> offer much more than my experiences, and to use whatever bush skills you
> have, and stay safe. If it means avoiding them completely, then so be it.
>
> It's not ideal knowing that you may have to fight a dog to study birds, but
> if you're into extreme birding, take care.
>
> Regards,
>
> Simon Clayton
>
>
>
>
>
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